Month: February 2024

Readout from 29 January Meeting

Our Ride Programme is now listed on this website and on LCC website.

In accordance with LCC changes to rides limited to 15, which is plenty for our local rides, there is a new  risk assessment template which requires both a leader and a backmarker to be named. We will indicate in advance that there is a maximum of 15 and first 15 who have signed in will be guaranteed a place.  Larger rides over 15 require the risk as assessment to be signed off by LCC Office.

Our next ride is the Women’s Freedom Ride feeder on 3 March for which marshals needed.

We are running a ride for the children of the Ambition, Aspire, Achieve children’s cycle clubs on 24 February.  At the moment there are not enough volunteers to run bike maintenance sessions for these clubs.  If you would be interested (weekends or weekdays) please contact Arnold

We anticipate running a Bike from Boleyn Ride in April/May

Fix your Ride will start again on March 9.

We agreed to participate in Green Fair run by Sustainable Newham in West Ham Park on 6 May and will look to provide some bike maintenance and outreach/information.

In respect of the Newham Cyclists bank accounts we are in the process of changing the signatories to reflect the current Committee.

In respect of Community/Public Engagement, there are 358  people connected to Newham Cyclists, either as LCC members in Newham, or via the mailing list or both, but 223 people on the mailing list. Karen will ask LCC to email the 125 members who do not receive our newsletter, and ask if they want to sign up.

She will also laminate a newsletter QR code so that people at Fix Your Ride and other events can scan if they wish to sign up.

There will be a separate meeting (1 hour, virtual) to discuss strategy for increasing and diversifying membership.  Anyone  I would like to participate should contact Karen who would also welcome contributions for a forthcoming planned newsletter

Infrastructure

  • Olawale met Newham Council’s Romford Road Active Travel Scheme team in January. The only new development was on the stretching of the phases of development, with separate sections within each phase.  The next section in planning will be the south side of Romford Rd between Dershingham Ave and Fifth Ave.  This will be considered by the Council Cabinet on 5 Feb. 

    Implementation of the scheme and opening sections, including public engagement events,  has been slow and there are issues such as puddling on some of the sections built.  However the Council has a good project engineer and an experienced project manager has recently been appointed.  There remains issues TFL and the omission of major junctions.  Olawale invited comments and suggestions for consideration be the Committee.
      
  • Newham council are promoting a cycle route via Osborne and Hampton Rds – running parallel to the Romford Rd –  by stencils on road and minimal signage.  At the moment it is considered unsuitable s and it was agreed that we should ensure that this was not an alternative to improving the Romford Rd.  Both routes need to be safe.
      
  • Council proposing making existing bus lanes 24/7 on New Plaistow Rd-Plaistow Rd-West Ham Lane. It is encouraging that there is acceptance that the bus lanes should be 24 7 given the reluctance of TfL to follow their own policy at the awful Greengate St/Barking Rd junction and Prince Regent bus priority schemes.  However there should be continuous bus lanes on both sides of these roads as they are part of  Cycle Future Route 7.  This is especially important especially between Plaistow Station and Barking Rd. 
  • The proposals contained in Traffic Orders for the Beckton Walking and Cycling Scheme – essentially Tollgate Rd and south part of Woolwich Manor Rd look good but don’t cover the whole of Tollgate Rd and do not address the linking A13 and Tollgate Rd. Newham Cyclists responded to these proposals in 2022 and there will be a supportive response to the Traffic orders. 
  • Councillor Tripp looking for comments on transport side of the proposal for use of the Capel Rd Changing Rooms especially in light of reopening car park, which could impact on Cycleway 16.  Comments can be offered direct to her via Kerena.
  • East Village Connections proposals are going to consultation next month. The main features are 2 way cycle tracks on Celebration Ave and Penny Brookes St and improvement of Liberty Bridge Rd.  These proposals link to the northern section of Cycle Future Route 7.  Issues include: International Way being descoped for present due to development and no space for segregated tracks on Liberty Bridge itself.  A bus gate or bringing this within the existing school street  are potential alleviating measures –  the former by preference.
  • Work on the excellent   Westfield Ave scheme has started.
  • Work on Honourlea Ave mostly complete and funding is now available for the long awaited drop kerb and parallel crossing suitable to facilitate cycling into the park area. to facilitate crossing into park at west end for parallel crossing.
  • TfL are to consult on changes to the Lower Lea Crossing.  The proposals look very cumbersome and scanty given the pressure to come (and the finance available from) the Silvertown Tunnel.   Any suggestions on what is needed in this area can be made to Jonathan.
  • Planning permission has been granted for the Crown Wharf development without taking on board Newham Cyclists suggestions for a pontoon path under A13 to link to CS3.

Any Other Business

  • It is proposed to hold the AGM on 22 or 29 April.  All posts are up for re-election. 
  • The LCC Local Group Forum link includes notes on the LCC strategy plan for the forthcoming mayoral election.
  • A Cargo Bike celebration event on 28 January 2024 was a timely  demonstration of parking for cargo bikes and adapted bikes.  It would be good for Newham Council to promote this type of facility  forward, consistent with its active travel, health and climate change policies.

Next meeting 26 February.

Lower Lea Crossing: Is that it?

TfL are consulting on changes to the Lower Lea Crossing and Aspen Way Roundabout. It’s not too bad—tweaking some crossings here, widening some cycle tracks there, etc.

But it’s also not especially transformative: there’s already a cycle track here, and it already provides an important connection to the Royal Docks. Some of the changes will be nice to have, but they could’ve been better. One arm of Aspen Way roundabout on the north side, amazingly, still won’t even have crossings!

The bad news is that this scheme ties in to the Tidal Basin Roundabout and the Silvertown Tunnel. The Tunnel will bring much, much more traffic to the Lower Lea Crossing and Aspen Way. Maybe these changes to the Lower Lea Crossing cycle track are an attempt to mitigate these negative effects—but they’re nowhere near enough.

The consultation is open until Monday 12th February. We recommend responding and telling TfL:

  • The scheme won’t really make a difference to the number of people walking and cycling in the area.
  • TfL should build crossings on all arms of the Aspen Way roundabout, and they should all be separated for walking and cycling (no shared areas please.)
  • In the medium term, TfL should look at grade-separating walking and cycling at the roundabouts, like at the Green Man Roundabout.
  • Where the cycle track is interrupted for servicing entrances, drivers of servicing vehicles need to be given adequate warning to watch for people walking and cycling.
  • The main problem in the area will still be the Silvertown Tunnel, a 1960s quality urban motorway scheme which shouldn’t have been approved. This scheme, combined with the threadbare bus network and silly cycle shuttle bus, comes across as a tick-box exercise to let the Tunnel’s promoters pretend they’re doing something worthwhile for people who don’t have a car, don’t want one, or can’t afford one.
Demand more from TfL

You can also read our consultation response here:

Lower-Lea-Crossing-consultation-response